Just over 6% of the 9,180,500 people employed in 2001 were part-time workers who wanted to work more hours, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Of these, 42% (248,300) had actually looked for more hours and were available to start more hours in the week prior to the survey.

Of the 2.5 million part-time workers in Australia in September 2001, 24% (592,400) wanted to work more hours. 32% of males working part-time wanted more hours compared to 20% of females.

Twenty-five per cent of male part-time workers wanting more hours were aged between 15-19, compared with 18% of females. Conversely 16% of male part-time workers wanting more hours were aged between 35-44, compared with 26% of females.

Nearly two-thirds (60%) of part-time workers who wanted to work more hours reported that they would like to work full-time. Males were more likely to want full-time work (73%) than females (52%).

On average, those part-time workers looking for, or available to start work with more hours, wanted an additional 15.5 hours each week. Males wanted to work more additional hours (17.5 hours) than females (14.3 hours).

Ten per cent of all part-time workers who said they wanted to work more hours were neither looking nor available for more hours.

Further details can be found in the publication Underemployed Workers, Australia, September 2001 (cat. no. 6265.0).